Southwest Egg Rolls

5 from 1 vote

These crispy southwest egg rolls are the perfect summer appetizer! Serve them with a simple 3-ingredient lime crema for fresh, zesty flavor.

Servings egg rolls

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 18

Total Time 38

Equipment

Large sheet pan
Parchment paper
Air fryer

Ingredients

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ medium red onion diced
15 ounces canned black beans drained and rinsed
15 ounces canned whole kernel corn drained and rinsed
4 ounces canned diced green chiles
½ medium lime juiced
½ teaspoon paprika
2 pinches sea salt
¾ pound shredded chicken
1 cup finely shredded Mexican cheese
18 ounce packaged egg roll wrappers

Lime Crema

½ cup plain Greek yogurt
½ medium lime juiced
1 pinch sea salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

First, make the egg roll filling:
Heat the vegetable oil, garlic, and onion in a large frying pan over medium heat until the onion is slightly soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the beans, corn, and chilies and cook for another few minutes until the beans and corn are slightly softened, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice, paprika, and salt, then transfer the filling to a large bowl.
Add the shredded chicken and cheese to the filling, then stir well until everything is evenly combined and the cheese is somewhat melted. Set aside.
Next, set up your workstation:
Lay out a piece of parchment paper where you want to work - this is where you’ll wrap the egg rolls. Grab a sheet pan and line it with parchment paper; place that near your workstation to put the egg rolls on as you wrap them. The sheet pan will help you easily transport them for cooking.
Bring the filling and egg roll wrappers over to your station, along with a small bowl of water and a dampened paper towel.
Wrap the egg rolls:
When you open up the egg roll wrappers, cover the stack with the damp paper towel to keep them moist. Working with one wrapper at a time, place the wrapper so one of the corners is pointing towards you. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the filling to the center of the wrapper, then fold the bottom corner up and over the filling. Gently press along the wrapper to the left and right sides of the filling to seal the ends, then fold them in towards the center, one at a time. Then, wet a finger and brush it over the inner part of the wrapper that’s still exposed, towards the top. Tightly roll the egg roll away from you, towards the top corner, until sealed.
Repeat until all the egg rolls have been made. Cover them with a dampened paper towel as you work to keep them moist.
Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray the basket, then add a single layer of egg rolls, leaving a bit of space between each one. Lightly spray them with cooking oil, then cook for 4 minutes. Gently flip them over, spray again, and cook for another 4 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.
Continue working in batches as needed to cook all the egg rolls, or optionally freeze some for later (see Notes section below).
Let the egg rolls cool for at least 5 minutes - they’ll be piping hot straight from the air fryer. Serve with lime crema and enjoy!

Lime Crema

Add Greek yogurt, lime juice, and sea salt to a bowl. Mix well to combine and keep refrigerated until serving.

Notes

Shredded chicken - Plain shredded chicken works best in these egg rolls. We like to poach chicken and then shred it, but you can also use Instant Pot shredded chicken or a rotisserie chicken for an easy shortcut.

Wrapping egg rolls - Most egg roll wrappers actually have wrapping instructions inside them! Look for this on the bottom of the package when you open it up and remove the stack of wrappers. For more detailed instructions and photos on how to wrap egg rolls, check out our cheeseburger egg rolls recipe.

Freezing - You can freeze these egg rolls before you cook them (great for party prep or if you're a smaller household). Here's how:

After wrapping the egg rolls, freeze them in a single layer (make sure they’re not touching) for at least 1 hour.
Transfer frozen egg rolls to a zip-top bag for storage. Freeze for up to 1 month. Any longer than that, and the wrappers start to dry out a bit.
When you’re ready to cook the egg rolls, cook them straight from frozen according to the recipe instructions, but increase the cook time to 5 minutes per side.

Cooking tip - Work in batches! If you plan to cook most or all of the egg rolls, start preheating the air fryer when you begin rolling. Pop the first batch in when it’s ready, then continue rolling while those cook. This will speed up the process!

Serving suggestions - These egg rolls complement Southwest and Mexican dishes really well! Check out our blog post above for specific recipe suggestions to serve these with.

Storing and reheating - You can store cooked egg rolls in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the air fryer at 375 degrees F for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Author: Nicole Langdon

Calories: 200kcal

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Southwest

Keyword: air fryer, black beans, corn, egg roll wrappers, garlic, green chiles, lime juice, mexican cheese, paprika, red onion, shredded chicken, super bowl

Nutrition